Christmas Eve
by rightxhere
Summary: It’s Christmas Eve and Olivia’s at home sick with the flu. Set in season one, somewhere lol Friendship fic, with a hint of more.


**Title: **Christmas Eve**  
Author: **Demelza**  
Fandom: **Law & Order - Special Victims Unit  
**Words: **1,043**  
Characters:** Elliot Stabler, Olivia Benson  
**Disclaimer: **Law & Order - Special Victims Unit is the property of NBC and all its other owners. I'm just playing with the characters for a little while.**  
Spoilers:** None**  
Rating: **O13  
**Warnings:** None  
**Summary:** It's Christmas Eve and Olivia's at home sick with the flu. Set in season one, somewhere lol Friendship fic, with a hint of more.**  
A/N:** Fic #5 in my 25 Christmas Fics for 2009 calendar thingy on LiveJournal (rightxhere). Also, I haven't written this pairing in forever, so I hope it's all good :)

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Olivia stood on the inside of her door, leaning against it. "You can't come in, I've got the flu!"

"I won't catch it, Olivia. I gave it to you, remember?"

She narrowed her eyes in thought, recalling that he had indeed given the flu to her. She sighed, pushing herself away from the door. "Fine." Even if it was Christmas Eve, she wasn't feeling up to the company – she'd already cancelled lunch with her mother tomorrow, and had already had Elliot pass on her regrets at not being able to join their family for dinner.

She released the chain and unlocked the deadbolt, before pulling the door open and immediately laughing at the blinking Santa hat Elliot wore. Not to forget the very much festive scarf that adorned his neck.

"Oh El, you look like you've been beaten with Christmas."

Elliot groaned, stepping into her apartment. "Damn, Olivia, it's freezing in here!"

"Is it?" she asked, wearing loose fitting sweatpants and a long sleeved t-shirt. "I'm boiling."

With a worried frown, Elliot made his way to the air conditioning and turned the heat up. "You could've got pneumonia, or worse."

Closing her door, Olivia turned to him, arching an eyebrow. "There's worse than pneumonia?" she asked, taking two steps closer to him, though being sure to keep her distance.

"Death, for one," he said, and she could hear the concern hitching his voice.

"El, I'm touched, but I would've been fine. I'll have you know, if it wasn't for the knock at my door I would've happily stayed in bed."

He stared at her in disbelief. "You were in bed?"

"I've got the flu, where else would I have been?"

"I don't know, the sofa, maybe? The one with the blankets heaped together at one end?"

She smiled. "Okay, so I was watching Golden Girl reruns. But it's not like I wasn't resting, Elliot."

"Fine, but you _need _to keep the covers on you," he said, sighing softly.

"Yes dear," Olivia replied with a smirk. He smiled a little, his first one since he came inside. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Oh, Kathy and I got you a present."

"You did? That's sweet."

"Well, you know." He stared at her a little while, before clearing his throat and reaching into the green bag he had in his right hand. He pulled out a small, rectangular shaped package, one Olivia thought looked remarkably like the shape and thickness of a book, and handed it to her.

She smiled warmly, quietly thanking him before quickly, yet delicately, ripping the wrapping off. It was a romance novel with a long-haired Adonis brandishing a sword on the front cover. "Thank you, both," she said, finally looking at Elliot.

He was shaking his head. "I _told_ her to get something else... something a little less..."

"It's fine. It'll give me something to do later when I can't get to sleep because that's all I've been doing today."

Elliot gave her a remorseful look.

"Do not apologize again, or I'll... kick your ass and give this damned flu back to you," she said with a laugh.

He returned her laugh with a warm smile, when he remembered something. "Oh, there's one more gift. This one is from the kids," he said, and he picked the neatly wrapped gift and passed it to her.

"Ooh," Olivia said, opening it as quickly and carefully as she had the last one, though mindful not to drop the novel she was still holding on to. It was cloth, whatever it was, and when she peeled some of the wrapped off the same mixtures of reds, greens and whites as the scarf Elliot wore could be seen. "Oh it's beautiful, El," she said, taking it out of the last of the paper. "You have to tell them I love it."

His smiled widened. "I will."

She ran her finger across the knitted fabric, felt how soft it was, and felt a sudden chill creep up her spine. She lifted her gaze to Elliot's. "Help me put it on?" she asked.

Elliot nodded. "Sure. I thought you were too hot though?"

"Guess the fever's starting to break for a bit," she answered, shrugging.

He nodded again, and stepped toward her.

His hands brushed over hers, causing her heart to skip a little faster. She swallowed, not saying anything, not even thinking as he unbundled the scarf and closed the small distance between them with a single step.

Swallowing again, she closed her eyes, bending her head forward while he placed the scarf across her neck. She smiled at the rush of warmth the softness of the wool sent through her body, lifting her head to meet Elliot's gaze once more.

"There," he said, an appraising smile spreading across his face.

"I love it," Olivia murmured, bringing the scarf together at the front, their hands touching again when he slid his down. "Thank you."

He smiled and nodded, removing his hands after a long moment.

Heart slowing, she said, "Oh! I got the kids some gifts, and you and Kathy of course."

She walked to the armchair, collecting the two red bags sitting there, packed full with wrapped presents.

"You know you didn't have to do that."

Olivia glanced over her shoulder, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I wanted to." She picked the bags up and walked over to him, placing them in his arms. "Thanks again, Elliot. Not just for the gifts, but for this past year."

"Thank you too," he said.

They stayed looking at each other for a few moments, when Elliot turned partway toward the door. "I better get going. I promised Dickie they could open a present each before they went to bed."

"Okay. Wish them all a Merry Christmas for me, and say thanks, for the scarf. And the book."

"I will," he said. They walked to the door and after Olivia opened it, Elliot stepped up and pressed a kiss to her cheek, saying, "Merry Christmas, Olivia," before leaving.

Exhaling softly, Olivia pushed the door closed with a click. She closed her eyes, a chill that was most definitely not from the coldness of her apartment, or her fever breaking, rushed through her body. "Merry Christmas, Elliot."


End file.
